Fly-book.



no. 7|4,44. Patented nec. 2, |902. w. n. WHEELER.

FLY BOOK. (Anuncian med .rune 1'9, 1902.) (No Model.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. WHEELER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FLY-BOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N 0. 714,844, dated December `2, 1902. Application filed June19, 1902. Serial No. 112.329. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Books, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to such a book as is used by sportsmen for storing and transporting artificial fishing-dies.

The object of the invention is to provide a convenient book in which such iiies may be kept and carried without damaging the Wings or breaking the heckle or crushing the bodies and in which the snells may be soaked and softened without wetting the flies.

The embodiment of the invention that is illustrated has a metallic iyholding tray with a retaining-bar, a metallic Snell-soaking tray with absorbent pads and a holding-bar, a metallic flap which forms a cover for both trays, a flexible case adapted to envelop the trays and containing a flexible pocket back of each tray, and a snap-hook for attaching the book to a belt.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a plan of the book opened With the flap covering the moistening-tray. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the opened book Withthe fiap covering the holding-tray. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, on a greatly-enlarged scale, through the middle of the closed book. Y

The holding-tray 4 is a shallow oblong receptacle having bottom and side walls, preferably formed of aluminium. Hinged to one of the side walls, so as to extend across the middle near the bottom of the holding-tray, is a retaining-bar 5. The free end of this bar is bent out and notched, so that it will engage and be clasped by the yielding tongue 6, that is formed on the outer edge of the outside Wall of the holding-tray. This bar is turned up on its hinge when the flies-are laid in or removed from the holdingtray and then is turned down and snapped onto the tongue, so as to hold the snells.

, The soaking-tray 7 is a shallow oblong receptacle having a bottom and side walls formed, preferably, of aluminium. Hinged to one side wall of this tray, so as to extend across the middle some distance above the bottom of the tray, is a bar 8. The free end of this bar is notched, so that it will snap into engagement with the tongue 9, formed on the outer edge of the outside wall of the soakingtray. In the soaking-tray, beneath this bar, are a number of superimposed pads 10, of absorbent material, preferably felt or flannel.

These pads are substantially half as long as the soaking-tray, so that when in position in the middle the ends of the soaking-tray are empty. When the holding-baris lifted,these pads may be separated and the snells of flies laid between them, and then when the pads are returned to the soaking-tray and are fastened in position by the bar the flies will occupy the space at each end of the soakingtray with the snells between the pads. The pads preferably are wet for moistening the snells before they are put in; but of course they may be put in dry for drying the snells after the flies have been used.

In the form shown the holding-tray and the soaking-tray are secured to the inside of a leather case 1l by stitching that passes through perforations in the edges of the bottoms of the trays and the leather of the case. The trays are fastened to the case some distance apart, and a thin flap 12, preferably formed of aluminium, is attached to the middle of the case, between the trays, so that the flap may be turned back and forth from over one tray to the other when the case is opened and will occupy the space between and act as a cover for both when the case is closed.

The case is preferably attached to the trays in such manner that there is a pocket 13 between the bottom of one tray and the outside of the case and a pocket 14 between the bottom of the other tray and the outside of the case. The flap l5 of the case is provided with a catch 16 for fastening it closed.

Attached to the back of the case is a loop 17, holding a ring 18, that has a snap-hook 19, whereby the book may be attached to a belt or other part of the apparel of a sportsman.

This book is simple to manufacture, it occupies but little space in a pocket, and is light to carry. A large number of flies can be stored in the holding-tray and quickly removed when desired, and a large number of IOC flies can have their snells dried or soaked, as desired, in the soaking-tray.

There is no danger that iies packed in this case with metal trays will be eaten by moths or will have their wings damaged or their heckles broken or their bodies crushed, and when vthe snells are being softened the flies will not become soaked or bent out of shape.

I claim as rnyinvention- 1. A y-book consisting of a holding-tray,

trays and a iiap iexibly connected Ato the case between the trays, substantially as spcciiied.

3. A fly-book consisting of a holding-tray, a bar extending across the middle near the bottom of the holding-tray forretaining flies therein, a soaking-tray, pads in the soakingtray, a bar extending across the middle near the top of the soaking-tray for holding the pads in position, a flexible case enveloping the holding and soaking trays, a 'pocket Vbetween the bottom of the holding-tray and the case, a pocket between the bottom of the soaking-tray and the case, a flap iieXibly connected to the case between the trays, and a fastener for holding the case closed, substantially as specified.

WILLIAM R. WHEELER.

Witnesses:

H. R. WILLIAMS, V. R. HoLcoMB. 

